(Insta)life recap: 6

Half way through the year already? I almost refuse to believe it…it’ll be Christmas again before we know it (sorry, just putting it out there!).

Anyway, here’s some of what I got up to in June, which was a quite month by all accounts, as told by my instagram (@daisychaindream if you wanted to follow me).

As ever you can over over the images or click on them for a description. Link to your instagram posts below, or leave me your username so I can take a gander at what you’ve been up to as well.

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Lee Renee’s fabulous fruity jewellery and giveaway!

It’s been a while since I introduced a new jewellery brand on the blog and so it’s with great pleasure I can share with you the master of delicious delicates, Lee Renee. Lee contacted me a couple of weeks ago asking if she could send me a piece of her work to keep, and generously she also offered up a piece for one of my readers to win, too!

Before I get on to that though, here’s a bit about Lee Renee (taken from her website)
“British jewellery designer Lee Renée has already built a strong name in the fine-fashion jewellery sector thanks to her signature blend of delicate, exacting and narrative-driven pieces that are easy to wear and tell powerful, distinctive stories. Lee’s work regularly graces the fashion pages and Vogue magazine voted her into their list of jewellery designers to watch for 2015.

Lee launched her brand in July 2012 after spending 3 years retraining as a silversmith under some of St. Martin’s and Hatton Garden’s finest – the heart of London’s jewellery quarter – and Lee is also a member of the British Jeweller’s Association (BJA). Before that she’d been working in the creative world of advertising for many years but always knew that jewellery design was her first love. After this life transition her middle name Renée – meaning rebirth – took on a new significance so she decided to use it in her brand name.

Lee is inspired by childhood memories, ancient civilisations, the weird and the wonderful, the dark and the avant-garde. She believes jewellery should engage the senses and doesn’t have to feel too serious or grown-up, but should inject some colour and excitement into your styling whilst also being built to last and with you for a very long time, that’s why she makes quality investment pieces that will give you lots of joy and a lifetime of wears – who said fashion has to be frivolous?!

Everything is skilfully handmade by Lee and her team of Hatton Garden’s master craftspeople in London. We hope you have as much fun wearing them as we do making and creating them for you.”

Jewellery c/o Lee Renee | Top: H&M (current stock) | Skirt: New Look (here) | Shoes c/o Quiz

I’ve never seen a banana necklace before so when this little beauty dropped through my door I just knew it had to stay with me, it’s such a quirky piece with amazing attention to detail, I’ve been wearing it non-stop!

Fear not though as I’m giving away the equally intricate and stunning mini pineapple necklace to one of you lucky lot, all you need to do is follow the really simple rafflecopter below!

Whilst your at it, do check out the Lee Renee jewellery website, there are some truly fantastic pieces available, I’ve already earmarked the shine ring as a future purchase among many others.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 6/7/2015 and is open to UK entrants only.

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#madeinsummer with Quiz Clothing

I love a good challenge, and as festival season rolls around I was contacted by Quiz Clothing about a new campaign they were running called #madeinsummer. The challenge? To take an event from the busy Summer calendar and style up the perfect outfit. The REAL challenge? Picking an event, for someone who doesn’t do much outside of working and blogging I was failing at the first hurdle. Thankfully Quiz were happy to help and picked out the Radio 1 weekend in Ibiza.

Items c/o Quiz Clothing

Having only been to a handful of festivals in my lifetime and never any outside of this country it was a case of going in blind when picking my outfit. I knew I wanted something pretty yet practical for the hot weather and all of the dance action which is where this playsuit comes in. It’s so pretty yet has dignity saving qualities that a mini dress doesn’t. It’s also a bit less revealing that a pair of hot pants and a bikini top- that wasn’t going to happen on the blog, challenge or not!

To keep the sun off my neck (let’s just imagine I’m in Ibiza for this post) I went for a floppy sun hat, essential for 30 degree plus heat- a sunburnt and peeling face is never a good look! Footwear wise I was tempted to go for some cool wedge sandals but in the end common sense prevailed and I opted for some pretty flats which are actually comfortable enough to dance all day and all night in, blister free.

What sort out outfit would you have picked for a beach bum, sun lovers festival? All in all I think I got it about right- all I need now is the plane ticket!

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Swimwear Trends for 2015*

It’s that time of year where we start to crave a holiday. If you’re lucky enough to have already booked your next getaway, you’ve probably already turned your attention to swimwear.
From bikinis to swimsuits, there’s so many styles, designs and prints to choose from. To help you select the best option for your shape, we’ve enlisted the help of Danielle Kisby from leading lingerie and swimwear retailer, Bras Galore. She’ll provide her expert opinion on this season’s hottest trends.
Fringing
Popular in the 80s and 90s, fringing has re-emerged in time for summer 2015. Shorter fringed bikinis are great for adding subtle detail to your swimsuit, while longer styles can create a more dramatic look.
Speaking of the trend, Danielle said: “Channelling boho chic, fringing is one of my favourite trends this season. It’s great for minimising the appearance of a larger bust, as well as disguising those pesky cellulite-prone areas on the hips. A fringed bikini is the perfect alternative to heavily printed swimwear. Choose a plain option to remain subtly stylish.”
High-waisted
Favourites with everyone from curvalicious Beyoncé to athletic Taylor Swift, high-waisted bikinis are a popular choice this season. Offering more coverage than your typical string bikini yet oozing sexiness, the style is reminiscent of 1950s pin-up girls.
“A 1950s-style bikini is perfect for showing off those va va voom curves!” says Danielle. “The high-waisted bottoms are great for highlighting an hourglass figure, and are incredibly flattering across problem stomach areas.
“If you are blessed with a larger bust, choose a bra- or halterneck-style bikini top. These are much more preferable to flimsy string designs, which can offer little support. Ditsy prints like polka dots are an absolute must for this style. You can wear them year after year!”
Sporty
Sports luxe has been a huge trend for a few seasons now, but it seems 2015 is the year it really starts to dominate the swimwear market. Sports bra-inspired high-neck tops complete with mesh detailing are big news, as are bright block colours with contrasting black trims.
Danielle says: “A sports inspired bikini is perfect for lazy days in the sun and splashing around in the pool. However, the shape isn’t for everyone. While they are incredibly flattering for athletic and boyish shapes, the high-neck cut can make ladies with a bigger bust look top heavy.
“If you do have larger breasts and you are considering this style, I’d advise choosing one with mesh detailing to reduce the coverage over your bust. That way, you can have the best of both worlds.”
Plunge swimsuit
If you’re looking for something a little sexier, choose a swimsuit with a deep plunge neck. While you may think you’re covering up in a bathing suit, the plunge neck is sure to grab attention.
Danielle comments: “Plunge swimsuits are great as they can be worn by women of any size. Suits that offer little support around the bust are best suited to women will smaller busts. If you have larger breasts, choose a style that offers additional support to prevent squashing and provide an extra lift.
“Because the plunge adds detail to the swimsuit, choose a classic Ibiza-ready colour like black, white or red. Team with a floppy sunhat for ultimate glamour.”
Which styles will you be hitting the beach in this summer?

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The Essence #shelfie

I’m a bit of a nail polish fiend, not that you’d know it these days as my collection goes neglected thanks to working in a clinical environment. That said, when essence cosmetics sent me their exclusive #shelfie I couldn’t resist getting Mum involved and testing a few of their gel nail polishes out.
The #shelfie is frankly brilliant. The coolest way to display nail polish this case holds 42 colours (and lucky me got to own them all) and folds out to hang neatly on the wall. The walls in our house aren’t very strong; we’ve found that out the hard way before when hanging things up so my shelfie hasn’t made it up on the wall yet, but it’s chilling on a desk making me want to paint my nails every damn day.

Last weekend Mum and I picked out a colour for each other and had a bit of pamper time. We both love these polishes- I’ve used essence before but it was new to Mum. The base and top coats are designed to keep the polish on for up to 60% longer than without and the colours apply like a dream. Longevity wise they are still going strong after three days which is some kind of miracle for me! I can’t wait to try more colours, at least on my toes if I can’t on my fingers…

What’s your favourite colour to wear on your nails?

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